Method and apparatus for separating fluids



July 21, 1953 Hwc, SCHUTT 2,646,133

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING FLUIDs Filed July 3, 1948 I 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR HERMANN ctscHuTT July 21, 1953 H. c. scHUTT METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING FLUIDS Filed' July s, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HERMANN C. SCHUTT ATTORNEYS July 2l, 1953 H. c. SCHUTT 2,646,133

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR` SEPARATING FLUIDS Filed July 3, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR HERMANN C. SCHUTT A* CAWAM TORNEYS July 2l, 1953 H. c. scHUTT METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING FLUIDS Filed July s, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 sa 3o .INVENTOR HERMAN C. SCHUTT EYS Patented July "21, 1953 i.- y. Y Y I y i A Y Y?? 'containing a substance or substances liqueable medium than is`poss1bleby .anyioth UNITED `5111A;TES PATENT;,:oFFIC-E ivisrrionND APPARATUS FOR i il f f'f"iSERATINGFLIPS Hamam o.' stata, rrsminguam 'centa;.mss g.; n f assigner .to Stone & Webster Engineering Cor-,1 pbration, Boston, Mass., a corporation'of 'Masasaihvsiiia 1 .I Application July 3i, 1948, Serial No.` 36,91*#4 i i ffijsoli'ios. (c1. resiser n i i AThis invention'relates to processes of and appacondensinggagglo msfastrtnef the ratus fcrztreating a gaseous or vaporous medium liqueiiablejcornp underv the operating'conditions with the object in applied nmeans,` through the'provs View of condensing, agglomerating and' separat- 5 and improvedv condensing, agglomerat -ingthe liqueable substance or substances 'from separating method and;apparatusv 'the gaseous or yvaporous medium and relatesmore acoustic,vibrationalenergy.' n L particularly to processes of and apparatus for the Anotherobject of vthis invention is to obtain, `'accomplishn'ient of these ends through the vapplithrough the emplymht l Sonic' energy! high?? cation to the gaseous ror vaporous medium of rates of heat transfer-and eenden'satiriithilerevibrational motion and energy as produced by filming y,the heat transferarea-WhiChWOd rlQrl-'f sound waves. 1 mally be required'for' cooling a gas body With rel- Objects and advantages of the inventionwill be ativelyl low concentration. of lquefable materialset forth in pari;v hereinafter and in part will be Of the, draWirlfS i obvious herefrom, or maybe learned by practice Fig. l V1S a Semr-SC IrlatieView vIlfSeCtiOIOf a with the invention, the same being realized and typical andillustrativeeinbodimentofcondenserattained by means of the steps, processes, instrua-glpirleratereeparatof,apparatus irl aC0rdahCe -rnentalities and combinations pointedout inthe with this invention,- thef'vie'wbeng .takenffalllg `appended. claims. a plane containingfits verticalaxis; 1 andl corre- The invention consists in the steps, processes, SpOrldng Yto a 'View taken "along thelinef 3--3 of novel parts,` constructions, arrangements, combi- Fig- 2;" eertarla0f-1 .the irlterrial Strliturefheihg nations and improvements herein shown and de- ShQWrl irl-elevation fOr 'Giarityi scribed i 1'" lfig 2 is aview in top .planand to an enlarged The accornpanyingV drawings, `referred ,to l ScaleOf the .elrlbimeht :0i Fig-f1;

herein, and constituting a part hereof, illustrate v Fie. 3 is aviewinfbroken SeCtiO/tQ- theal embodiments of apparatus forV carrying out the OfFig. 2 taken' along theline- @trie-,Zend

' process of the invention, andtogetherwith the VShowingdetailslfif the COhStrllti-O th'ebdrdescription, serve to explain the principles ofthe merlt -Of Figl'; Certain iht'erhalahd @Xterhal invention.

y structure beingshownin'elevation forc1ari',y; It is known to subject a gas or vaporous body 3o Fig-a4 isa fragmentary vieu/,in section andto v containing one or more substances liqueable una Still larger SCaiefa detail .0f Fig 3 takel alIg derl the operating conditions;v to'cooling'whereby the iiheiir 0fv Fig- 3; and, i

the substance in Whole or in part will appear in Fi- 5 iS a fragmentary View irl Vertical Section the form 'of suspended liquid particles, commonly With Darts ih eieVatirl 0f apparatus ih aCCOrdtermed fog or mist Thsfog or mist maybe ance with thisy invention, the View showing a-rnodsubjected to an electrostatic eld with the object iei ahfi gherallyglirezferred form 0f Centrifugal of obtaining genuine liquid phase ofthe material i Separating apparatilsih accordance With this iliand separation of the substance by suitable appa- Vehtioh i g v- -V i f ratus, Apparatus for this latter purpose is typi- Ih aCCriahCB/ith th embodiment 0f 00hed by the Well-known Cottrell precipitator. `Or, 40 denser*aggiomeratorrsepafmmr apparatus 'i ac' the fogscarrying body may be subjected to eencordancev with this invention as depicted. in'Fig's. trifugal separation as by means of the Well-'known 1 4: incan; ihVei'tied-ihhi Vessel 3i is telescopicycloneseparator.. Alternatively, the fog-carry- 031137 .received Withinv ah upright o11i/erim556114- ing body may be subjected to scrubbing with a The latter is ahhuiaiiyspaced from-the former liquid with'the same object of separation in View. 45 t0 DFOVide therebetween ah ahhuiar Space i 4a These methods and means are not applicable in adapd to be Supplied With Coolant mid Provided all cases, are frequently inefficient from a'stand- With a bank 0f Cooling' ahixohdehsihg tubes, '5 point of liquid recovery, and the cyclone separa- AlCOhtihiiOuS header lflreferahiy arlhlliariprotion is applicable only where the particlesr are of Vide With an ihietn0221I 2, iS diSDOSe. adjacent Sumoient mass S0 that they can be pyopeued 50 the top of the vessel-3 andI is secured. thereto in against the Walls of the cyclone separator during v'part and in part tothe.. vessel. 4. Flowing gas fthe relatively short time in which the fog-carryand/or vapor containing the lquefiable substance img body passesthrough the apparatus, or substances to be separated is adapted .tofenter Y An object of this invention is to enable the -the headerl through the nozzle 2^and is'd'istriblfob-tainung-: ntvof a higher product relcveryin the `uted by the header I rfto the individual cooling tubes 6 at the top of the latter for passage therethrough in indirect heat exchange with coolant supplied to the chamber 4a.

The vessel 3 is open at the bottom and is closed at the top, except for a central opening I8 through which sonic energy is adapted to be supplied to the interior of the vessel by means of suitable sonic energy generating means I9. The vessel 3, together with the outer vessel 4, which is closedat the bottom, provides an agglomerating chamber 3a in which suspended liquid particles of the gas or vapor discharged thereinto from the cooling and condensing tubes 6, are to be agglomerated into larger particles or droplets by the application of sonic energy thereto through the opening I8. Both the vessel 3 and vessel 4 are preferably of cylindrical contour and concentric with each other and with the header I. The outer vessel, or jacket,I 4 extends beyond the bottom of the vessel 3 and terminates in a closure or collecting section 5, preferably of conical or substantially conical configuration, generally underlying the concentric chambers 3a. and 4a and providing a bottom section 5a of the agglomerating chamber 3a.

The cooling and condensing tubes 6 are disposed in suitable number in the coolant chamber 4a, these tubes preferably being grouped in a suitable number of preferably concentric, circular and preferably angularly offset rows, as best depicted in Fig. 4, wherein two such rows are shown. Each such tube opens at its top into the interior ofthe header I and, at its bottom, into the bottom section'5a of the agglomerating chamber 3a, whereby gas or vapor entering the tubes 6 at the top from the header I will flow downward in a plurality of parallel streams and enter the bottom section 5a of the agglomerating chamber. Annular tube sheets 'l at the top and bottom, respectively, of the coolant chamber 4a form separate closures between the vessel 3 and its jacket 4 and serve to seal the ends of the chamber and to fix the tubes 6 in desired parallel alignment therein.

The collecting section 5 is provided with a drainage or outlet nozzle 8 at its apex and is .preferably jacketed exteriorly over substantially all of its area by means of a jacket member 9 circumferentially spaced therefrom so as to form therewith an annular chamber 9a. to which a suitable heating or cooling medium` s adapted to be supplied at the bottom through one or more inlet nozzles I0. Means, such as the valved pipe connections II,I preferably external, are provided in suitable number between the top of the chamber 9a and the bottom of the coolant chamber 4a for transferring from the former to the latter coolant, these connections preferably being evenly distributed around the circumference of the apparatus. Alternatively, in accordance with this invention, coolant may be supplied through the valved connections II directly to the chamber 4a at its bottom without flowing through the chamber 9a. The latter, in such case, may be supplied separately with coolant, or, if desired, with a suitable heating medium for maintaining liquid accumulated in 5a at a desired temperature or condition of fluidity.

In such case, the heating medium may be discharged separately through the valved connections II by suitable manipulation of the valves shown, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

A header I2, through which coolant is adapted to be discharged from the coolant chamber 4.a.

is disposed radially outwardly of the header I at the top of the vessel 3. 'Ihe header I2 is connected with the coolant chamber 4a adjacent its top, by means of pipe connections I3 in suitable number which are preferably distributed evenly around the circumference of the jacket 4. By way of example, a typical embodiment of the apparatus of this invention may have sixteen of the inlet connections II to effect good distribution of coolant to the chamber 4a, and eight of the outlet connections I3, the latter being preferably of largerA diameter. A discharge nozzle I4 is provided on the outlet header I2 for discharging the cooling medium therefrom, and the pipe connections I3 serve xedly to support the header I2 from the inlet header I. The coolant flows upward through the chamber 4a. countercurrent to the down-owing gas or vapor in the tubes 6, to the points of egress at the top.

The acoustic energy generating means I9 is or are of a type and capacity soV as in operation to emit and direct acoustic waves of the proper intensity and frequency downward into the agglomerating chamber 3a, and into the path of the previously cooled gas or vapor stream, with its content of fog or mist, which in operation rises therein. The resultant vibrational motion imparted to the rising gas and/or vapor stream serves to agglomerate and/or coalesce the liquid fog particles to a larger size centrifugally separable from the gas or vapor stream carrying the same. The embodied generating means may be strictly mechanical such, for example, as a siren type apparatus; or it may be electromechanical such as a magneto-striction type vibrator; or, it may be strictly electrical such, for example, as a piezo-electric crystal and cathode ray tube apparatus, and may comprise single or multiple units as required to develop the necessary acoustic energy. The siren type apparatus has a high capacity for generating acoustic energy at a wide range of vibrational frequency preferably of from about l to about 10 kilocycles.

Means are provided adjacent the top of the agglomerating chamber 3m for separating the agglomerated droplets from the carrier medium. The separating means, as embodied, comprises one or more centrifugal separating units of practically any acceptable, conventional design. In accordance with the embodiment depicted in Fig. 3, a set of conventional cyclone separators 2l is located in the chamber 3a near its top, the separators being disposed around the opening IS so as to be outside of the direct propagation path of the acoustic energy waves emitted by the generating means I9. Four such separators are shown in Fig. 2 disposed vertically and preferably symmetrically in the chamber in a circular row concentric with the vessel 3. Each separator is suitably xedly supported withini the chamber 3a as, for example, by means of the supporting brackets 22 for the purpose provided. Each separator is provided at its top with a separate vapor outlet duct or nozzle 23 through which the gas or vapor carrier medium free of its content of liquefiablev substance is lead through the closed top of the vessel 3, the separate nozzles being adapted to discharge into a common header (not shown).

Drain or run-down pipes 24 lead, one from the bottom of each separator 2l, downwardly into the collecting section l5a and terminate each adjacent the apex so that the end of each will lie belOW the normal level of liquid accumulated in the section 5a in normal operation and thus be sealed against the ilow of the carrier gas or vapor up into the separators 2|.

In the carrying out of the process of this invention using the embodiment of Fig. 1 for the separation of a liqueflable component fromv a gaseous or vaporous fluid serving as the carrier therefor, the latter enters the distributing header I through the nozzle 2, flows down through the cooling and condensing tubes 6 in a plurality of parallel streams and enters the agglomerating chamber 3a just above the collecting section 5. l

Assuming the valved connections have been suitably adjusted for series ow of coolant from chamber 9a to chamber 4a, a cooling medium, water or other suitable liquid, is supplied to the chamber 9a through the nozzles ID, flows upwardly through the chamber 9a, thence upwardly through the coolant chamber la containing the cooling and condensing tubes 6 and countercurrent to the fluid in the tubes, and is discharged via the connections I 3 and header I2 through the nozzle I4. Heat is absorbed by the cooling medium both from liquid accumulated in the section 5a and from the gaseous fluid in the tubes thereby to eifect condensation of all or substantially all of its liqueable component and, advantageously, to convert the coolant to steam. The heat absorbed by the cooling fluid may be recovered as desired and close control over the tube wall temperature and condensate film temperature in the tubes may be exercised to maintain a desired intermediate lm, or fluidity of liquid condensate, in the tubes E. In the case where the gas contains a sulphur mist or 'fog as the liquefiable component, this ability to maintain close control of tube wall temperature and nlm temperature is of utmost importance in order to maintain the liquid sulphur condensate on the tube walls in an optimum state of fluidity.

The condensate formed in the tubes 6 flows downwardly into, and is accumulated in, the collecting section a'from'which it may be continuously withdrawn through the nozzle, 8 at a rate suitable to maintain any selected level of liquid in the chamber 5a, for which purpose any suitable form of liquid level control apparatus (not shown) may be employed. g

The gaseous fluid issuing from the tubes 6 is laden with fog andows in the agglomerating f chamber 3a in a direction from the bottom of the chamber upwardly therein through the direct propagation path of the acoustic energy waves of proper intensity emitted downwardly through the opening I8 from the acoustic energy generator means I9. The vibrational intensity is the highest at the top of the chamber where it is desired to be high to effect high frequency of collision of the small suspended liquid particles not yet agglomerated notwithstanding that the total number of liquid particles at the top of the chamber is far less than the tot-al number of liquid particles at the bottom of the chamber. The walls 3 are preferably of heavy sheet steel construction and are jacketed with liquid, as in this case, to minimize energy dissipation through the wall. Part of the sonic vibrations are reflected and enter'the cooling tubes 6 to effect an increase in the rate of the diffusional processes between the lm and the owing gaseous iiuid in the tubes thus effecting greater cooling and accompanying greater condensation. Liquid droplets or particles resulting from this agglomeration in the chamber 3m whcih are too heavy to lremain suspended in the'rising 'gas stream descend into thecollecting chamber 5a and merge with any liquid accumulated therein. Agglom verateci liquid particles which remain suspended in the gaseous fluid rising through the chamber 3a are, at the chamber top, all or practically all in the form of droplets of sufcient mass to per- '.mit separation from the gaseous fluid by centrifugal separating means.

lremaining suspended droplets against the outer wall of the cyclone and thereby to effect the removal of substantially of the remaining liquelable component from the gaseous fluid. The liquid nlm moving down this outer wall of each separator is conducted by the respective pipes 24 out of contact with the rising gas stream in the chamber 3a, to the collecting section 5a where it joins any condensate previously formed. The gas stream, now stripped of its liqueable component, discharges from the separators 2| through the discharge nozzle 23 of each.

In the embodiment of this invention shown in Fig. 5, a relatively large number of small centrifugal separator units 30 of a conventional type are employed in lieu of a small numberof large units such as the conventional cyclone units 2| depicted in Figs. l-3. As here preferably embodied, the inner vessel 3 is provided with a vertical, cylindrical partition member SI extending downwardly from the top of the Vessel around the opening I3. The member 3| terminates at its lower end in sealing engagement with a horizontal, annular partition member 32, so as to form therewith and with the top of the vessel 3, an annular header chamber33 adapted to receive the gaseous or vaporous eflluent from the respective separator units 30. One or more discharge nozzles `:ifi are carried by the vessel 3 for discharging the chamber 133 toa common header (not shown). Two such nozzles are shown.

.The partition member 32 is of annular shape Y providing a central opening and is preferably extended radially inwardly from thev partition member 3| te provide a narrow annular bolting flange or shoulder 35 to which thesonic energy generating means I9 is secured over the central opening of the annular member l32, as by suitable fastening means not shown. Advantageously, an annular baille member 36, which may be of frustoconical shape as shown or of other suitable shape, is disposed in the central opening of the horizontal partition member 32 and serves to restrict undesired radial diffusion of the vibrational waves, immediately subjacent the opening.

The separator units 30 are each vertically disposed in the vessel 3, are preferably identical, and are arranged around the central opening of 'the partition member 32, in a series of circular rows each concentric with the vertical axis of the vessel and with each other. The units 30 in any given row are preferably uniformly circumferentially spaced on centers, but this spacing preferably increases from the innerrow to the outer row, by an amount which is preferably uniform and effects even vapor distribution.

The units 30 are of conventional construction each comprising in general a pair of inner and outer tubes, respectively, each tube open at its ends, with the outer tube of a configuration at the upper end such as to imparta rotary centrifugal motion to uid entering its upper end.

The inner tube of each unit extendsat itsupper end through the plate 32 into the header chamber 33 and the outer tube of each unit extends at its lower end through an annular horizontal partition member 31, the members 32 and 31 at their junction with the tube walls being preferably in sealing engagement therewith. Fluid which enters the top opening of the outer tube of a unit will be set in rotation, thus to throw liquid particles contained in thek fluid against the walls of the outer tube. The separated liquid flows by gravity out of the outer tube at its bottom whereas the fluid, freed of its liquid particles, ows upwardly through the inner tube into the header chamber 33.

Means are provided within the vessel 3 for preventing commingling of the liquid eilluent from the separator units 30 with the gaseous or vaporous fluid iiowing to the separator units, and for conducting the liquid eiiiuent to the bottom of the vessel beneath the level of liquids accumulated therein, just as in the embodiment of Fig. 3. As here preferably embodied, a tubular baille member 38 is provided with an upper portion 39 and a lower portion 4U, the former of preferably cylindrical contour, extending from its junction with the latter at a suitable level below the units 3U, upwardly through the central opening in the partition member 31 to a level advantageously at or just above the top of the outer tubes of the separator units 30. rI'he lower portion 40 of the baie member 38 is advantageously of frusto-conical shape and extends horizontally radially outwardly at its bottom into circumferential sealing engagement with the vessel 3 thereby to form an annular chamber 4| underlying the bank of the separators 33, for collecting dripping from the separators. Conduits 24 in suitable number serve to drain the liquid from the collecting chamber 4I to the bottom of the Vessel 3 as in the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 3.

The ba'fe member 3B, throughout its upper portion 39 in particular, serves additionally to confine the vibrational waves produced by the sonic energy generator means I9, to a restricted central path just prior to entrance of the gaseous or vaporous stream to the centrifugal separators 30 at the top of the Vessel where the sonic energy intensity should be the highest to facilitate the agglomeration of the reduced number of small liquid particles in the rising gaseous or vaporous iiuid in this section of the vessel.

Through the provision of the large number of small centrifugal separating units 30, a highly eilicient separation of agglomerated liquid particles may be effected and a substantially complete separation of liquid particles in the gaseous or vaporous eiuent of the vessel is attainable.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific processes and steps shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantage.

What is claimed is:

l. Apparatus for separating a liquei'lable component from a gaseous and/or vaporous material comprising: means forming a cooling chamber to be supplied with coolant; means forming an agglomerating chamber including an upper portion encased by said cooling member and a lower portion together providing an ascending path along which said material is adapted to flow, for agglomeration of its liqueable component, said lower portion including a collecting section for liquid; means for flowing said material through said cooling chamber in heat exchange relation with coolant therein, into said lower portion for ascent along said path to said upper portion; means for generating acoustic energy vibrations of high intensity in said upper portion and for directing said waves along said path toward said lower portion to agglomerate the liquenable cornponent of said material; means in said upper portion generally outside of said path and of a direct propagation path of said waves for conducting said material iiowing along said path, from said upper portion to the exterior of said agglomerating chamber and for separating the agglomerated liquid particles from said material in transit therethrough; and, means for conducting the separated liquid agglomerate in a confined stream from said separating means to a level in said collecting section below the level of liquid accumulated therein.

2. Apparatus as characterized by claim 1 ncluding means for circulating a coolant through said coolant chamber counter-current to and in indirect heat exchange relation to said material as it iiows therethrough.

3. Apparatus as characterized by claim l in which said collecting section is jacketed to provide a chamber thereabout to be supplied with a heat exchange medium.

4. Apparatus as characterized by claim 3 including means for circulating a coolant seriatim through said jacket chamber and said coolant chamber and in counter-current relation to said material as it flows through said coolant chamber.

5. Apparatus as characterized by claim l in which said means for owing said material through said coolant chamber comprises separate substantially vertical and parallel uid conduits in said chamber, said conduits having each its inlet at the top and its outlet at the bottom.

6. Apparatus as characterized by claim 5 in which `said collecting section also underlies said fluid conduits.

'1. Apparatus as characterized by claim 6 in which said collecting section has a substantially conical configuration and in which said means for conducting separated liquid from said separating means to said collecting section has a terminus substantially at the apex of said section.

8. Apparatus as characterized by claim l in which said energy generating means has a frequency range of from about l to about l0 kilocycles.

9. Apparatus as characterized by claim l in which said conducting-separating means in said upper portion comprises a number of centrifugal separators.

l0. Apparatus as characterized by claim 9 in which said separators are disposed in a circle within said agglomerating chamber.

l1. Apparatus as characterized by claim l which said agglomerating chamber forming means comprises an upright vessel of cylindrical contour having a central opening in its top through which the acoustic energy waves are adapted to enter said chamber, and in which said conducting-separating means comprises a number of cyclone separators disposed around said opening.

12. Apparatus for separating a liqueable component from a gaseous material comprising an elongated vessel having an open bottom, said vessel being adapted to be supported in use with its long axis vertical; a jacket annularly spaced v of said vessel, said tubes having upper inlet ends and lower outlet ends and communicating at their outlet ends each with said vessel through its open bottom; means including a distributing header for supplying gaseous material to the inlet ends of said tubes; a closure and collecting section merging with said jacket; conduits for 'circulating coolant through said annular space; an acoustic energy generator and centrifugal separators at the upper end of said vessel, said separators being disposed generally circumferenferentially of said generator outside the direct path of propagation of energy waves emitted by said generator; and conduits for conducting gaseous separation products from said separators to the exterior of said vessel vand separately conducting liquid separation products from said separators to said collecting section. f

13. Apparatus as characterized by claim 12 in which said collecting section comprises an inclined surface portion facing the outlet ends of said tubes to reiiect acoustic energy waves into the outlet end of said tubes.

14. Process for separating a liqueiiable component from a gaseous material containing the same comprising causing the gaseous material to flow in a conned stream successively through a cooling and condensing zone, an agglomerating zone and a, separating zone; subjecting the material in itsy passage through said cooling and condensing zone and said agglomerating zone to acoustic vibrational energy of progressively in- 10 creasing intensity and collecting the resulting liquid phase portion of the liqueflable component; subjecting the gaseous material in said separating zone to separation to separatesubstantially the remainder of the liquelable component from the gaseous material, combining the separated liquids and separately recovering the combined liquid and the liquid-free gas, as products.

15. Apparatus for separating a liqueable component from a gaseous material containing the same comprising means for conducting the gaseous material in a conned stream successively through a cooling and condensing zone, an agglomerating zone and a gas-liquid separating zone; `means for subjecting said treated stream to acoustic vibrational energy of high intensity in said agglomerating zone and to acoustic vibrational energyof lesser intensity in said cooling and condensing zone; means for separating agglomeratedj'liquid particles from said stream inV said separating zone; and, means for withdrawing liquid separated from said stream, fromsaid zone.

HERMANN C. SCHUTT.

References lcited in the me of this patent UNITED sTATEs PATENTS Number Name Date 1,130,213 Steere --.Man 2, 1915 1,826,561 Miller Oct. 6, 1931 2,215,484 St. Clair Sept. 24, 1940 2,216,779 Houghton et al. Oct. 8, 1940 2,300,761 Amy` Nov. 3, 1942 

